PNW Introducing Sports Management Major

HAMMOND – In response to growing and diverse career opportunities in the business of professional and intercollegiate sports and athletics, Purdue University Northwest is introducing this fall a Sports Management major within its Bachelor of Science in Business degree program.

The new plan of study will focus on such components as marketing and digital marketing, business analytics, fitness and hospitality management, event planning, facilities design, media relations, club management, consumer behavior, performance nutrition and more.

Solid business foundation
“The major in Sports Management is an important addition to our academic offerings in the College of Business,” PNW Business College Dean Jane Mutchler said. “It offers students the opportunity to apply a solid business foundation, coupled with classes in fitness, wellness, nutrition, sports management and more to an industry they love.”

Graduates of the program will earn a Bachelor of Science in Business degree accredited by the world’s premier business accrediting body—the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. Fewer than five percent of business colleges worldwide have achieved AACSB International accreditation.

‘Excellent fit’
“Sports management is an excellent fit for our students with the high number of professional, college and other sports-related opportunities in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana,” Professor and Head of PNW’s White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Michael Flannery said. “A solid business foundation from our College of Business is the most important part of this program.”

A faculty committee within PNW’s College of Business spent a year and a half researching, studying and developing the major course of study, which will be comprised of a combination of current business core courses and new courses specific to sports management. The new major will be housed academically within the Department of Managerial Studies.

Real-world, experiential learning
Consistent with all Purdue Northwest academic programs, the sports management major will require students to engage in real-world, experiential learning opportunities.

“The sports management major is a rapidly-growing academic field—sort of like hospitality was 25 to 30 years ago,” PNW Associate Professor of Restaurant, Hotel, Institutional and Tourism Management Judith Hack said. “As a regional university, we are able to react faster to new initiatives in the expansion of areas for business schools beyond the traditional disciplines.”

Sports management demand
Some 225,000 individuals are employed in sports management-related capacities nationally. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs are projected to grow annually at a rate of six percent.

Janice has over 15 years of experience in marketing and advertising for companies such as The Indy Partnership and Gallivan Auctioneers. She began Tower Marketing Solutions, LLC in 2006 to provide marketing, advertising and non-profit association management services.

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